Healthy snacks are quite easy to come by. Whether you’re opting for cut up veg sticks, fresh fruit, a bag of nuts or the many healthy superfood bars available, the options are endless. But, many of those options come at a price.

We challenged ourselves to find the cheapest, healthiest snacks available in food stores you’d find anywhere in South Africa. Scouring our local Woolworths Food, Clicks, Pick ‘n Pay, Spar, Dischem and Checkers we searched through stacks of snacks to find 10 best healthy snacks under R16 (which was harder than we thought!)

To make the list, the items had to be sold in a single serving and the majority of the ingredients had to be ones we could identify with as little as sugar as possible. The chosen snacks with a high sugar content mostly contained dried fruit which is where the sugar came from, not from an artificial source.

Some are sweet, some savoury, some mini meals and others are little snacks to tide you over. The next time you are hangrily wondering the aisles of your local grocery store, opt for one of these 10 best healthy snacks.

The 10 Best Healthy Snacks Under R16

A plain yogurt is always a good snack choice; but when you want something more than just yogurt grab this Woollies’ Low-Fat Plain Yogurt with Vanilla Flavoured Seed Granola. There are 4 different flavours, but the seeded granola comes out with the least amount of sugar and calories making it the better option.

Safari Just Fruit Bar (32g)

Price: R6.39

Best For: When sweet cravings hit

The Safari Just Fruit bars are made up of a mixture of dried fruit and fruit purees. They’re cold pressed, and have no added syrup. Despite no added sugars, they’re sweet thanks to the fruit, so they’ll satisfy any sugar cravings.

Supa Snax Pack a Snack Pack (30g)

Price: R8.99

Best For: a small snack to tide you over to your next meal.

The supa snax pack a snack is the perfect sized nut and fruit mix. It has enough to keep you satiated without the temptation to go for more. There’s no nutritional information on the packet so we can’t say for sure the nutrients but it has both almonds and dried berries so it does have protein, fat and natural sugars from the berries.

Nutritional Information: Not given

Dietary Information: No preservatives

Ingredients: Goji Berries, Raisins, Natural almonds, cranberries

Clicks Smartbite Veggie Crisps – plain (20g)

Price: R4.95

Best For: when you really want a packet of crisps.

Healthy chip alternatives are hard to come by. Scanning the ingredient list on the back of these veggie crisps reveals potato flour, vegetable powders and even the super spice turmeric. There’s no MSG and they’re actually sugar free! They may not be giving you protein but they’re a great alternative to chips.

Squish Breakfast Apple & Oats

Price: R8.50

Best For: Those days you didn’t have time to eat breakfast, or need a second breakfast.

The Squish Breakfast Apple and Oats is like a drinkable bowl of oats. In general buying flavoured oats is a no no as the flavour comes with a lot of added sugar. This however, gets its flavour and sweetness from pureed apple and would make a great quick breakfast or pre-run snack.

LoveSum Pick-me-up Cashew and Coconut Naked Protein Ball (42g)

Price: R14.95

Best For: Post workout snack when you want added protein

The LoveSum Pick-me-up cashew and coconut ball is almost like a giant rice crispy treat. Along with nuts, dates and puffed rice it has whey concentrate which means it’s more filling and can help you reach your protein targets in a few bites.

FutureLife Smart Drink in Chocolate (250ml)

Price: R15.39

Best For: When you’re thirsty and hungry at the same time.

Granted there are a lot of ingredients we can’t quite picture and over 10g of sugar, but when it comes to a drinkable flavoured milk, this FutureLife Smart Drink is at the top of the list. It’s got a good amount of protein, is less than 200 calories, is high in 12 vitamins, calcium and 18 amino acids. There is also a Vanilla Caramel and Straawberry Banana flavour, but in terms of nutrients the chocolate comes out on top. Plus, we all know chocolate milk is the ultimate recovery drink.

Jungle Oats Snack Mix in Bring the Zing (50g)

Price: R10.49

Best for: When you want a sweeter fruity snack.

There’s more dried fruit than nuts in these packs, so it’s great for sweeter toothed people. The banana chips and lemon gems make it different from other trail mixes. There are four other flavours, but when it came to nutrients the Bring the Zing came out on top.

Lifestyle Beef Biltong (25g)

Best for: those times you’re craving protein or a savoury snack

Price: R15.95

Lifestyle Foods Beef Biltong snack packs comes in a handy 25g packet making it perfect for a protein heavy snack. It’s also a low-carb, sugar-free option which is a rare find in the healthy snacks section. This is a great savoury option.

Best for: Superfood Lovers and times when you want to nibble on a snack over the course of the day

The on the Go Active Booster in Goji Berries, Cashew Nuts and Cranberries has a nice mix of dried fruit and nuts. It’s a sweet and salty snack that’s comes in a convenient re-sealable packet so you can save some for later. If you want something more interesting or salty, try the On the Go Active booster with edamame, cranberries and cashew nuts which has a bit more protein and less sugar per serving.

For what its worth, the Squish pureed fruit also makes a fantastic pre-workout (especially swim) source of energy. Goes down really easily and quick to digest so can be taken shortly before hitting the pool/ bike/ run/ gym.